Method
Combine agar-agar powder, sugar, salt, water and pandan leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a boil until sugar has dissolved.

Add colouring and milk and blend well to mix. Pour into a shallow dish to set. Use a small watermelon scoop to carve out balls to be used as substitutes for egg yolk. Alternatively, you can pour mixture into small, round ice-cube moulds and knock out the ’yolks’ when set.

To make Lotus paste filling: Blend cooked lotus seeds and coconut cream in a liquidiser until finely pureed. Strain. Add agar-agar powder, salt and water.

Cook sugar in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium-low flame until sugar has caramelised (do not burn the sugar). When the sugar melts and turns slightly golden brown, remove the saucepan from the fire and pour in a small amount of lotus seeds paste mixture. Stir well to dissolve the caramel then pour in the rest of the mixture. Keep on stirring, then add the pandan leaves. Cook until mixture comes to a low boil. Add in thickening and stir well to mix.

Pour mixture into rinsed patty tins. Put one "salted egg yolk" into the centre of each filling. Leave to set then unmould. Cut out neatly with a 5cm (2ins) round cutter and set aside the fillings for use later.